Fluoride Contamination Plagues Quetta's Drinking Water Supply
A study reveals that over half of Quetta's drinking water is tainted with harmful fluoride levels, risking public health. Conducted by Balochistan University researcher Taimoor Shah Durrani, the alarming findings highlight the urgent need for water treatment solutions to safeguard the city's 2.5 million residents from potential health issues.

- Country:
- Pakistan
In a startling revelation, a study has uncovered that more than half of Quetta's drinking water is contaminated with dangerously high fluoride levels. ARY News reported that the research was led by Taimoor Shah Durrani, a scholar at the Department of Hydrochemistry at Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS).
Durrani's extensive water testing from over 100 tubewells between 2022 and 2024 in densely populated areas revealed alarmingly high fluoride concentrations. Notably, in 27% of northwestern and central Quetta, fluoride levels reached up to 3.4 mg, surpassing safe limits.
The World Health Organization suggests fluoride levels in drinking water should remain between 0.5 and 1.52 mg per liter to prevent toxicity. The central valley's areas, including Sariab and Nohisar, reported the highest fluoride content. This situation poses a grave risk to the 2.5 million residents, with symptoms such as reddish-brown teeth in children and knee pain in older adults manifesting due to exposure.
Labeling the fluoride as a 'slow poison,' Durrani urges immediate government intervention to establish safe fluoride thresholds and implement water filtration systems across Quetta to ensure safe drinking water and avert severe health consequences.
(With inputs from agencies.)